Disease and aggression are other reasons not to attempt domestication of wild animals, said Dr. Travis Schaar, veterinarian with Main Street Hospital.

Bandit nibbled like a puppy or kitten but did not bite, Barnett said.

"We received a call that the raccoon had bitten someone," said Heather Kern, assistant supervisor of Victoria County Animal Control.

Haug and a sheriff's deputy transported the raccoon to animal control, where it was euthanized and tested for rabies. The test came back negative.

Even though the chances of the animal having rabies are low, a test should be performed when a wild animal has been in close contact with people, said Schaar. The animal's brain tissue must be tested, which requires euthanasia.

"People with rabies will die if they don't get the vaccine within the incubation period," Schaar said. "It's not worth it."

Schaar recommends people who come across animals in distress call either the sheriff's office or the parks and wildlife department.

Baby animals might appear abandoned when they are not, Haug said. He receives numerous calls every year about orphaned fawns. He recommends the callers leave them alone.

"The mother is off eating, providing for the baby and will usually find him," Haug said.

Victoria County's only registered wildlife rehabilitator, Anabel Torres-Mondolfi, does not perform the work anymore but offers guidance.

"All wildlife can be rehabilitated," she said.

The ideal is for the rescuer to take the endangered animal to the proper facility as soon as possible.

"Game wardens stay busy and are not always aware of the options," she said.

There are large rehabilitation centers in Angleton and Boerne, as well as other nearby communities.

Haug could not discuss details of the case involving Craig Barnett and Bandit because of the pending criminal case.

Harboring a wild animal is punishable by a fine of $25 to $500, Haug said.

"One hundred percent of the people who help animals have their hearts in the right places," Torres-Mondolfi said. "They want to help."

However, the reality is that wild animals need to fear humans and their pets, such as dogs, to have a greater chance of survival in the wild.